Author: Kate

Being a teenager’s rough. You’ve gotta juggle homework, extracurricular activities, friends, your family and not to mention figuring out who you are

It’s normal to feel stressed out, angsty, or sad sometimes. But it’s important to be able to check in and ask yourself — is this run of the mill teenage stress or is it something else? You might feel like you’re the only one in your school going through what you’re going through, but I promise, you’re not! 1 in 5 teenagers is experiencing a mental health issue, that’s roughly 5 students in your class, feeling stressed, sad, angsty.

It’s Okay to Seek Help From a Counsellor

When facing mental health struggles, it can be hard to find someone who you feel really understands you.  It’s great to have friends to talk to about the things you deal with, but when you’re dealing with something a little heavier than general stress or sadness, it’s best to turn to a professional. Even if you’re not sure if what you’re going through is something that could be a mental health condition, it’s best to chat with a professional to be sure.

Next Steps if You Need Help

1. You are not alone.
2. Help is readily available.
3. Having a mental health issue and speaking to a counsellor is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

And hey, if you’ve read this whole article, you’re already a step ahead in your mental health journey. Keep going.

Where to get help?

If you need someone to talk to, or want to find out more online, here are some organisations that can help:

• Kids Helpline (telephone and online counselling for ages 5-25) — call 1800 55 1800
• headspace (mental health service for ages 12-25) and eheadspace (online and phone support)
• ReachOut.com (youth mental health service) — online help
• SANE Australia (people living with a mental illness) — call 1800 18 7263
• Lifeline (support for anyone having a personal crisis) — call 13 11 14
• Suicide Call Back Service (anyone thinking about suicide) — call 1300 659 467

You can also ask your doctor or a mental health professional for advice or more mental health resources for teenagers and adolescents.

Adequate sleep is vital for your health, but can be hard to achieve when life is busy. Sleeping problems are common, with up to 4 in 10 Australian adults not getting enough good-quality sleep. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to improve your sleep.

Sleep Hygiene

‘Sleep hygiene’ means habits that help you to have a good night’s sleep. Common sleeping problems (such as insomnia) are often caused by bad habits reinforced over years or even decades. You can dramatically improve your sleep quality by making a few minor adjustments to lifestyle and attitude.

Tips for healthy sleep

• Regular sleep . Try to go to bed and wake at the same time each day.
• Spend the right amount of time in bed, for some its the recommended 8hrs, for others its a little more or less.
• Use your bed for sleep, avoid using screens. Don’t spend too much time in bed awake, dedicate your bed for sleeping.
• Relax before bed. Find the relaxation techniques that work for you, avoid planning the next day or worrying about events of the day.
• Avoid substances including cigarettes, caffeine, alcohol and recreational drugs.
• Avoid napping during the day. Sometimes we might need a nap, limit it to 30 minutes and have at least 4hrs between your nap and your evening sleep.
• Avoid sleeping pills. If assistance is required speak to your GP or pharmacist.

Everyone feels stress. It’s a normal response to challenging or dangerous situations. A small amount of stress can be a good thing and increase energy and motivation, but too much can make people feel overwhelmed. It can affect quality of life and cause problems with physical and mental health.

Signs of stress

You can learn to recognise the symptoms of stress in your body, this can help you learn to cope with stress.

• muscle tension and headaches
• poor sleep — or sleeping too much
• being irritable or moody
• not having motivation
• not being able to concentrate
• relying on alcohol or drugs to cope
• feeling overwhelmed or anxious or like you can’t cope

Tips for reducing stress

It may not be possible to remove the stress from your life, but managing your stress may help you to get things done.

• Deal with unhelpful sources of stress before they build up and become a bigger problem.
• Look at areas in your life where you could manage your situation better or change the way you respond.
• Regular exercise can relieve tension, relax the mind and reduce stress.
• Unrealistic expectations of yourself or others can lead to stress. If you have a tendency to negative thinking, it can help to write down these thoughts, try to come up with a more realistic view and focus on the positive.
• Sort out any personal conflicts or relationship problems by communicating honestly and seeking counselling.
• Spend time doing things you enjoy.
• Try to avoid long hours at work. Learn to say no.
• Try to avoid substances such as cigarettes, caffeine, alcohol and drugs.

Helplines

• Suicide Call Back Service (for anyone thinking about suicide) — call 1300 659 467
• Lifeline (for anyone having a personal crisis) — call 13 11 14 or chat online
• Mensline Australia — call 1300 78 99 78
• Beyond Blue online forums and helpline ­— or call 1300 22 4636